


Somewhere Between the Flower, Chocolate Cake and A Fancy Dinner

by dicaculus



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Blink and you'll miss it, F/F, First Date, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, like a few sentences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29480016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dicaculus/pseuds/dicaculus
Summary: When Isabelle's boyfriend cheats on her close to Valentine's day, her Clary spend Valentine's day together
Relationships: Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	Somewhere Between the Flower, Chocolate Cake and A Fancy Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know it's not Valentine's Day anymore, but I have poor time management skills and I got carried away.

When Clary opened her front door on a Friday evening, the last person she expected to see is her best friend Isabelle with her eyes puffy and red from crying. Quickly she ushers her shaking, sobbing friend in from the cold winter air, takes her coat while Isabelle takes her boots off and they both sit on her couch. It’s then that she tells the story about how for the past couple of weeks she’d noticed some odd behaviours from her boyfriend. Just small things at first that seemed to be easily explained away, like they’d changed their style and started grooming more and his schedule had suddenly changed. But then she’d got worried when his friends started acting nervous around her, and he’d suddenly been very secretive about his phone and laptop. It had all come to a head when a mutual friend of theirs had called and admitted to her they’d seen who they thought was her boyfriend, holding hands and acting like a couple with a blond woman. At first, she hadn’t believed them, but then they’d followed up with a picture and she couldn’t deny the truth. All the slight changes and all the little lies she’d caught Elijah in made sense. She was furious, so being the straightforward woman she is, she confronted her boyfriend the same night and ask for an explanation. When she reached her boyfriend’s house there was a car she didn’t recognize and when she’d used her key he’d given her there on the couch was her boyfriend, curled up with a woman she recognized as someone he’d worked with and claimed was only a friend and there was nothing to worry about. 

“Don’t worry my ass,” sobs Isabelle

Clary hands Isabelle a tissue box, which she gratefully accepts. She wipes her tears, blows her nose. “You know at first I thought maybe he was putting in some effort and planning a surprise for Valentine’s day like I had, but then I got suspicious and unfortunately I was right”

Clary pulls her friend in for a hug, kisses her cheek gently and starts rubbing her back soothingly. “I’m so sorry Iz, he’s such a jerk” 

She doesn’t tell Isabelle how she never liked Elijah, how she always thought he was a jerk and never liked the way he treated her, or how he never seemed to put any effort into their relationship. Instead, she bites her tongue and continues to rub her friend’s back and let her cry.

“Do you want me to kill him?” Clary asks jokingly

Isabelle sits up laugh “No, he’s not worth the jail time. Besides, I’m pretty sure you’ll have to fight Alec and Jace for that task” 

Clary cringes; for the first time that evening, she feels sorry for Isabelle’s boyfriend. 

“You are breaking up with him, right?” Clary asks.

“It was over the second he cheated,” she says “I just need to pick some of my things from his place but honestly I don’t think I can face him tonight. I don’t trust myself not to strangle the scumbag when I see his face” 

Clary nods understanding “Well, then why don’t you spend the night with me? I’ll order a pizza; we can open a bottle of wine and watch some trash TV”

“Okay,” she sniffs “That sounds nice”

They order too much pizza for the two of them and drink wine from a bottle Magnus had bought Clary for her birthday last year. They spend the evening watching cooking competitions, yelling at the contestants as if they would do any better. 

_“You can’t make a risotto in 20 minutes, what is this man thinking?”_  
_“How can you be a chef and not know how to make fresh pasta? I thought that was a basic requirement”_

And watch bridal shows, making fun of the brides buying these dresses that are not only expensive but also ugly.

_“I could pay off my student loans with the money she spent on that dress ___

___“Does this designer make their dresses ugly on purpose? Not one of them has been nice”_ _ _

__Late into the night, Clary insists her friends stay over since they’ve been drinking. She gives Isabelle some pyjamas to borrow, and they both crawl into bed and try to sleep._ _

__“Clary, do you like Italian food?” Isabelle asks from the dark._ _

__Clary turns over and faces her friend “Yeah, sure who doesn’t? Why?”_ _

__“Remember that Valentine’s Day surprise I had for Elijah”_ _

__Clary nods_ _

__“You know the restaurant Allegro?”_ _

__Yes, Clary knew Allegro, she knew all about Allegro. Allegro was a restaurant that had opened up nearly a year ago and was almost impossible to get a reservation, people would make them months in advance. The restaurant had a very homey but intimate feel to it, making it a good date spot. The food was expensive but was apparently some of the best food in the city and known for its homemade gnocchis._ _

__“I got us a reservation,” she continues “I already have the reservation, you’re single and I’m about to be single so why don’t we go together?”  
“Won’t it be weird? You and I in a restaurant full of other couples?” she asks_ _

__“Not unless we make it weird. C’mon, we could have our little Valentine’s day together! We could do the whole thing, the flower, chocolates, gifts and a romantic dinner. It’s an excuse to dress up and have a nice meal, and I know you’ve always wanted to go there,” Isabelle pleads._ _

__Clary sighs, she isn’t wrong. She has always wanted to eat there, she’s drooled over the images of their food on Instagram and it’s always been a dream date of hers. She doesn’t understand why she’s so reluctant; it is only dinner after all, what’s the worst that could happen?_ _

__“So will you celebrate Valentine’s day with me?”_ _

__“Yeah, I’d like that”_ _

__

__It’s several days later, Isabelle successfully breaks up with Elijah and somehow keeps her brothers from murdering the man. Clary stands in front of her mirror, putting the finishing touches on her outfit. She’s straightened her naturally curly hair and even put on some light makeup. She’s wearing a pinstripe blazer with a black top underneath, her pants are matching pinstripe slim pants paired with black strappy heels. There are nerves in her belly that she tries to ignore as she checks herself in the mirror again as she waits for her friend to arrive. But she’s also excited, excited to try this food, but also it just feels good to dress up and go out again. She hasn’t done this in a long time. The last time was with her ex-girlfriend and they’d broken up six months ago. The sound of the doorbell signals her friend’s arrival. She fidgets with the sleeve of her blazer before taking a deep breath and answering the door. She opens the door to let her in, Isabelle gently closes the door behind and faces Clary greeting her with a smile._ _

__“Hi, are you almost ready?”_ _

__Clary looks at Isabelle and her mouth goes dry. Isabelle’s usually straight black hair is curled and falls over her shoulders, her makeup is beautiful but simpler than usual. Instead of a bold eyeshadow, it’s a simple but perfect winged eyeliner and instead of a dark lip, she’s gone for a nude colour almost the same shade as her lips. From under her coat, Clary can see she’s dressed in an off the shoulder velvet dress that ends just below the knee, it’s fitted and accentuates her curves that Clary has always been jealous of. At first glance, it looks black, but under the light, Clary can see it’s a very dark red that Isabelle would probably call wine. Clary can’t stop staring, her palms start to sweat and her heart hammers in her chest as she takes in her friend. Isabelle has always been beautiful, but tonight she can’t look away and going by the smirk on Isabelle’s face, she noticed._ _

__Clary clears her throat “Oh yeah..um just give me a minute”  
Isabelle smiles “We’ve got time, oh here!”_ _

__She holds out the arm that was behind her back, presenting Clary with a bouquet of various colourful flowers._ _

__“I’m pretty sure I got the last bouquet left in the city,” she says with a laugh_ _

__Clary smiles and gratefully accepts the flowers, it’s a bouquet of yellow, red, and purple flowers. She recognizes the sunflowers, lilies and roses but the others she’s not sure about._ _

__“They’re beautiful and smell lovely, thank you, Izzy, I love them.” Clary smiles and quickly the flowers to the kitchen._ _

__They take a cab to the restaurant, it’s a short drive to the restaurant, and the ride is uneventful. The restaurant itself doesn’t look like much from the outside, if not for the large sign that says “Allegro Restaurante” in gold letter and the other restaurants surrounding it, you would think it was someone’s house. A white roof, with a brownstone that matches the other buildings nearby and a white porch that leads to the open front doors of the restaurant. The cab parks in the minimal parking behind the restaurant Isabelle pays the driver and says a quick thank you before they get out; they walk up the steps to the open doors of the restaurant, where they’re greeted by a woman who asks if they have a reservation._ _

__“Under Lightwood,” says Isabelle_ _

__The woman quickly looks for the name, she smiles at them when she finds it and leads them into the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is a vastly different style than the stone exterior, the walls are painted a light gray; the lights dim the further they’re guided into the restaurant, giving it a romantic feel. Along the walls are paintings of the city, and even some wall niches filled with vases full of flowers, candles or statues. The girls are seated at a table towards the back of the restaurant. A small white candle in the middle of the table is lit before they’re told someone will be with them shortly._ _

__“It’s beautiful in here,” Clary remarks. Her eyes widen as she sees the prices as she looks at the menu in front of her “Iz…”_ _

__Isabelle stops her before she can start, telling her to not worry about the prices and to get whatever she wants “Maybe just don’t go ordering one of those $100 bottles of wine” she says jokingly_ _

__The girls end up ordering a glass of wine each, the dry full-bodied red that goes well with the steak Isabelle orders and a fruity white that goes well with the seafood pasta Clary orders. The wine is excellent and for the price per glass they’re glad, but both women agree it tastes just about as good as the ten-dollar bottles of wines they buy._ _

__“What if it’s cheap wine and they just put in the expensive bottles,” whispers Isabelle  
“I’m pretty sure that’s a crime”  
“So is jaywalking. Besides, it's only illegal if you get caught,” she winks._ _

__Clary giggles and shakes her head at her friend. Despite her reservations about coming to such an intimate restaurant with Isabelle, she is having a lot of fun. She can see why this is such a highly sought-after date spot, the atmosphere is beautiful, the wine while expensive is good and the smells coming from the kitchen and nearby tables are amazing. There’s a black grand piano in a far corner with a woman playing a soft melody adding to the relaxing and intimate atmosphere. The restaurant is full but doesn’t feel overcrowded with its limited amount of tables and spaced out seating. Eventually, the women get their food; the smell has Clary salivating. She takes a bite and of course, it’s every bit as delicious as it smells, the pasta is perfectly cooked, the sauce creamy and the different seafood are delicious and not overdone, a skill Clary has yet to master._ _

__“How’s your steak?” Clary asks  
“So good,” she moans before shoving another piece in her mouth_ _

__A break in the piano music and gasps from across the restaurants make the women look up and Clary turn around in her chair. Across the room is a man on one knee, proposing to his girlfriend. The woman is wide-eyed, her hands covering her mouth in shock. While the man is on one knee presenting a ring, saying words neither woman can hear. A roar of applause confirms she said yes, Clary smiles and claps politely but when she turns back to face Isabelle her stomach drops.  
For the first time since her break up Clary see’s she’s still sad about the breakup, the tight lips, her slouched posture and the calming breaths she’s taking to calm herself down._ _

__“Izzy” she reaches over the table and squeezes her friend’s hand, who smiles sadly_ _

__“I’m fine,” she sniffs “I just...I thought that would be Elijah and I one day.”_ _

__“I’m glad it isn’t,” Clary admits “You deserve someone who values you and you deserve so much more than that man could have ever given you. You’re a wonderful person never forget that”_ _

__Isabelle squeezes Clary’s hand back, her eyes glassy trying to hold back tears “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Clary, you always know what to say. Now let’s not let Elijah ruin this wonderful evening we’re having together,” says her eyes, less glassy and with a smile on her face._ _

__They finish their meals in mostly comfortable silence but never let go of the other’s hand. When they finish their meals, they’re offered a dessert menu, they order a slice of chocolate espresso cake to share. The cake is moist with an intense chocolate flavour. It’s layered with a buttercream which normally Clary finds too sweet but topped with the bittersweet chocolate glaze it’s perfect, almost making her wish she’d gotten her own slice. When the meal is over and it comes time to pay the bill, Isabelle tells the server it’s one bill before Clary can speak. Clary protests, saying she’ll pay half, but she’s dismissed and Isabelle takes the bill before Clary can reach for it. The raising of her eyebrows is Clary’s only clue of how expensive the meal was._ _

__“That was expensive Iz,” she says holding open the door for Isabelle when they leave the restaurant “You have to let me pay you back for the meal”_ _

__“Guess you’ll just have to take me out for dinner sometime,” she says with a wink as she links their arms together_ _

__Clary flushes, her cheeks tinged pink. She silently agrees but reminds herself to bring it up again with her friend later. They decide to walk home, it’s a beautiful mild winter evening, snow gently falls from the sky and sparkles under the streetlights. They talk about the meal, the beautiful restaurant and the proposal they witnessed._ _

___“I don’t know I just find proposals on Valentine’s Day so unoriginal”_  
_“Okay, what’s your idea of a good proposal?”_  
_“Nothing big, just not on a day where romance is expected. A day that’s special for us as a couple and no one else”_ _ _

__They keep walking, witnessing other couples on dates, kissing under streetlamps, even witnessing another proposal as they walk by a park. At one point Isabelle unlinks their arms and confidently holds Clary’s hand under the guise of keeping her hand warm._ _

__“Is this okay?” she asks_ _

__Clary can only nod, afraid to speak with her heart hammering in her chest._ _

__Despite Clary’s feet being sore from her heels she doesn’t want the night to end, she swallows her disappointment as they approach her front door, barely holding back a whine when she has to let go of Isabelle’s hand so she can unlock her door._ _

__“Well,” Clary says as she unlocks her door, “This is me. I had a good time tonight, one of the best dates I’ve been on in a long time,” she jokes_ _

__Isabelle chuckles “Yeah me too”_ _

__She turns around and Isabelle is close. So close it wouldn’t she can the golden flicks in her brown eyes, and that her winged eyeliner is starting to smudge. Isabelle leans down and for a second Clary thinks she’s going to kiss her, instead she pulls a strand of wet hair that was stuck to Clary’s cheeks and tucks it behind her ear. Her face flushes and her skin burns at the feeling of Isabelle’s hand grazing her cheek._ _

__“Right” Clary clears her throat “I better...um g-goodnight” she stutters_ _

__“Goodnight Clary,” says Isabelle_ _

__

__Clary quickly opens the door then closes the door behind her and leans against it before taking some calming breaths, desperately trying to calm her heart hammering in her chest. She groans and pulls at her damp hair in frustration; it was supposed to be two friends celebrating Valentine’s day and enjoying a fun night together. But somewhere between the flowers, the chocolate cake, the fancy dinner and a late-night stroll holding hands on a snowy night, she’d caught feelings. She’s about to walk upstairs when there’s a knock on her door. She frowns, wondering who would be at her door, then she sees Isabelle. She’s standing on the other side through the glass on the door._ _

__“Iz..” she starts_ _

__Before she can continue, Isabelle pushes her way through the door, and kicks it closed behind her, grabs Clary by the lapels of her pinstriped blazer, crowds her against the adjacent wall and kisses her. It’s frenzied, teeth clanking slightly until Isabelle changes the angle and their lips meet. One of Clary’s hands ends up in Isabelle’s hair, the other on her gently cups her jaw._ _

__Isabelle pulls away first, breathing heavily but stays so close she leans her forehead against Clary’s_ _

__“I’m sorry,” Isabelle breaths “I wanted to do that the entire walk from the restaurant”_ _

__Clary leans up and kisses her again, softer this time_ _

__“Going on this date was easily the best date I’ve ever had, I had more fun with you tonight than I ever had on a date with Elijah. Let me take you out again, for an actual date. One that isn’t on Valentine’s Day or a dinner meant for my cheating ex-boyfriend”  
Clary smiles, her eyes crinkling at the sides _ _

__“I’d like that”_ _


End file.
